Hip-Hop Star Nelly Shows Customized 2009 Ford Flex at SEMA

Email This Page

Your Name

Your Email

To (separate emails with commas)

Message (optional)

Send

Your email was sent successfully.

Close

November 5, 2008

Wow, Ford is really pulling out all the stops in attempts to sell station wagons crossovers to a whole new set of playas. In a cleverly eponymous marketing move, Ford had already partnered with DJ/producer Funkmaster Flex on--you guessed it--a Ford Flex.

Nelly knew he wanted blue paint, 22-inch wheels, a white roof, an exhaust system with "a little bit of rumble," a killer sound system, and a personalized interior. Using those guidelines, Ford designer Melvin Betancourt began creating a unique Flex that he topped with a bird applique on the vehicle's roof, which he found to be "an art form that we feel reflects Nelly’s personality." It's just a bit more menacing than the the Road Runner affixed to Plymouth's beloved musclecar of the same name.

Inside, Ford's new SYNC technology partners with a CIM LIIV wireless Internet entertainment system, allowing passengers to surf the Web, play online games, e-mail, and download entertainment. "When you can have a vehicle that both can rock their own way, I think you have something there that’s very special," explained Nelly discussing the new parent-and-kid appeal of family cars like the Flex. Inside, Nelly's Flex features a black Tuscany leather interior with Katzkin seats, blue stitching that matches the vehicle's exterior, and more bird applique in place of the simulated wood grain on the standard vehicle.--Colin Mathews
---